Chapter 6 The Truth in the Shadows.

Lily barely slept that night.

Her mind kept circling back to Fred's words-"There are things you need to know about me."

She had always known Fred was different from the other teachers, but she had never questioned it. He had been there for her when no one else had, offering quiet support when the world turned its back on her. And now, after what she felt when she touched him, she needed answers more than ever.

The sensation had been too intense to ignore-something electric, something alive. A connection she couldn't explain.

By the time dawn arrived, she was already dressed, sitting at the edge of her bed, waiting for the first hint of sunlight to spill through her window.

A voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Where are you going to school so early?"

Lily turned sharply. Eleanor stood in the doorway, arms crossed, her sharp gaze studying her daughter.

Lily swallowed. "I... I have to meet someone."

Eleanor's expression softened. "Fred?"

Lily hesitated, then nodded.

A sigh escaped her mother's lips as she walked toward her. "Be careful, Lily. If he is your mate, there are things you need to consider. And if he isn't..." she trailed off, eyes clouding with unspoken worries.

Lily's hands clenched. "I just need to know the truth, Mom."

Eleanor studied her, then reached out, gently squeezing her hand. "Then go. But trust your instincts. And whatever you learn today, don't let it shake who you are."

Her mother's words settled deep in her chest. She took a steadying breath before stepping outside.

---

The school was nearly empty when she arrived.

A thick morning mist clung to the air, curling around the edges of the building like ghosts refusing to fade. The quiet was unsettling, amplifying the rapid beat of her heart.

Her gaze flickered toward the back of the school, where she spotted Fred.

He stood leaning against the railing, his arms crossed over his chest as if bracing himself. His normally relaxed posture was tight with tension, his gaze distant.

He looked like he hadn't slept either.

Lily hesitated. Why did it feel like this conversation was about to change everything?

Fred's fingers drummed against the wooden bench beside him, a subtle sign of his unease. His expression was unreadable, but the weight in his stance told her one thing-whatever he was about to say was important.

Finally, he looked up.

Their eyes met, and a strange tension settled between them-one neither of them quite knew how to name.

"Good morning," she greeted softly.

Fred swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Lily... there's something you need to know."

She tilted her head slightly. "What is it?"

He took a deep breath. "I'm not from Blue Pack."

Lily blinked. "What?"

"I'm from Moon Pack."

Silence.

Her brows knitted together. "Moon Pack?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Fred nodded. "And there are things about me... things I've never told anyone."

Lily lowered herself onto the bench beside him, eyes locked on his. "Why are you telling me this now?"

Fred exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Because I think..." He hesitated. "I think we're mates."

Lily's breath hitched.

Fred saw the shock flicker in her eyes, the way her lips parted slightly as if trying to grasp his words.

"Mates?" she murmured.

Fred nodded, his voice low. "I don't know how or why. But when I touched your hand yesterday, I felt it." He looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've never felt anything like that before."

Lily was silent for a long moment, her hands tightening around the fabric of her dress.

"I don't have a wolf," she whispered. "How am I supposed to know if it's real?"

Fred sighed. "I don't know either. But if we are mates... you deserve to know the truth about me."

She studied him carefully. "Then tell me."

He hesitated before finally speaking.

"My pack and yours have been enemies for generations," he began. "It started over land-land rich in gold. Both packs claimed it, and the fight never ended."

Lily frowned. "I've heard about that, but no one ever explained why it got so bad."

Fred's jaw tightened. "Because Diamond Pack got involved."

Lily's gaze sharpened. "Diamond Pack?"

Fred nodded. "Their Alpha-Alpha Derek-chose a side. That's when everything changed."

Lily's expression darkened.

Fred continued, his voice quieter. "My father was Beta of Moon Pack. We were strong. Respected. But then Alpha Derek attacked us... and everything fell apart." His voice grew tight. "I watched my parents die."

Lily's stomach twisted.

"You saw it happen?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Fred clenched his fists. "I was just a kid. I had no one left. No family, no home." He let out a bitter chuckle. "I became homeless. No one cared. I had to survive on my own."

Without thinking, Lily reached out, her fingers brushing against his hand.

Fred stiffened, then slowly relaxed beneath her touch.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

Fred exhaled, his voice raw. "I tried to live, but it wasn't easy. I made mistakes. I stole. I did things I regret." His voice lowered. "Eventually, I was caught and sent to prison."

Lily's breath caught. "Prison?"

"For years." He looked away. "When I got out, I went through therapy. My therapist told me to find a purpose, to do something that gave me meaning." His fingers curled into his palm. "That's why I became a teacher."

Lily's eyes searched his. "So you came here... to start over?"

Fred nodded. "Yeah." He hesitated. "But no one here knows my past. No one knows where I came from."

Lily frowned. "Then why tell me?"

Fred turned to her, voice softer now. "Because I trust you."

She inhaled sharply.

"And because of Morgan." His voice darkened. "If he finds out who I really am... I don't know what he'll do."

Lily looked away, her lips pressing together. She knew exactly what Morgan was capable of.

Fred sighed. "That's not all."

Lily turned back to him. "What do you mean?"

His jaw tightened. "Everything I suffered-losing my family, my home-it all started because of Alpha Derek."

Lily's stomach twisted.

Fred's voice grew heavier. "If not for him, my parents would still be alive. My pack wouldn't have been destroyed. I wouldn't have lost everything." His fists clenched. "He's the reason I went through hell."

A cold shiver ran down Lily's spine.

Fred's next words sent a bolt of ice through her veins.

"But my suffering didn't end with him." His voice dropped lower. "His son continued his legacy."

Lily's heart stopped.

Fred's gaze darkened.

"Alpha Liam."

The name crashed into her like a thunderbolt.

Her breath caught in her throat, her entire body stiffening.

She knew that name.

Her mind raced back to the day her father was killed.

Liam.

Liam was the one who killed her father.

Her fingers trembled as she whispered, "My biggest enemy in the world."

Fred turned sharply, confusion flickering in his expression. "What?"

Lily's lips parted, her voice cold as ice.

"The man who killed my father."

Fred's eyes widened.

The world around them seemed to freeze.

Their pasts were connected.

Their pain intertwined.

And now, everything had changed.